
By Paulo Loreto Lim
With cherry blossom fever sweeping across Japan, the period during the year when the iconic pink flowers bloom for a short period of time, a local version of the colorful foliage was spotted near the foot of Mount Kanlaon, in the town of La Castellana.
According to reports, the local cherry blossoms grow on the balayong tree, which is native to Palawan. Just last year, Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron said plans are in the works for a Balayong Park, which, according to a report by CNN Philippines, “will resemble Japan’s famous Sakura Gardens.”
While the cherry blossoms in Japan are pink in color, the cherry blossoms in the Philippines can also be seen in white and yellow.
Cherry blossom season is currently underway in Japan, with flowers expected to bloom at various times across the country./WDJ